It’s unique to Benchmark Maps to have this intuitive layout – we do a front-to-back progression that begins with a national perspective, moving into a regional view, finishing with a very localized landscape. In other words, we organize our maps “outside-in”.
1. Legend
Provided on the inside cover of the atlas for easy referencing, our legend depicts helpful symbols for each section of the atlas (e.g., Recreation, Landscape). English/Metric conversion tables are available for additional guidance.
2. Table of Contents
Each of our color-coded tabs for Regional Maps, Recreation Guides, Landscape maps, Metro Area Maps, and our Index can be found here, providing ease in locating precisely what you are looking for quickly.
3. U.S. Highways
Our highway systems are very unique in that our readers are given an elevation perspective of the entire country. We highlight the state and provide mileage from the capital city to other cities across North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico).
4. Regional Highway System
Our Regional Highway System provides interstate detail in a particular region of the country (e.g., Southwest, Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, etc.) The unique thing about it is that includes all of the county seats with populations. We have the staple elements of a good atlas (US/STATE highway systems) but what we’ve done extra is we’ve squeezed in an interstate regional highway system. Does any of this sound familiar? “What’s the most interesting way for me to get across Nevada to my destination in California.” Or “Can I swing by a new national park on my way home.” Our world is for spontaneous discovery, and we aim to help foster just that.
5. Recreation Guide
It’s a unique characteristic of the people in the American West to clock out and get outdoors. Preparing yourself for outdoor adventures isn’t always something you can do on your lunch break, using your PC. Sometimes you just want to start driving immediately. No matter what your sport, Benchmark is a trusted guide to discovering your landscape.
Activities Guide
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Climbing
- Paddling
- Golfing
Attractions
- state parks,
- national parks,
- wildlife areas,
- state and national forests,
- ghost towns
- ski areas
- mountain recreation opportunities (e.g., Colorado’s 14ers)
- museums,
- historic sites,
- camp grounds & RV parks with site count and services
Climate
We provide regional climate information and monthly averages for high and low temperatures and precipitation (rain/snow).
Public Lands
We color code different types of public land and ownership:
- Wilderness areas
- Forest Service
- State Park
- State Owned
- Tribal
- Military
- BLM
- National Parks and Monuments
- Wildlife/Conservation Areas
- Game Management Units
6. Metro Maps
Our Metro Maps provide a good spatial understanding of a major metropolitan area and include highways, arteries,and major streets. We also provide walking maps for downtown areas with highlighted recreation POI.
7. Index
We categorize our index for recreation:
- mountain passes
- mountain ranges, peaks, and other physical features
- lakes, rivers, and other drainage features
- state parks
- national parks
- wildlife areas
- counties
8. Back Cover
We’ve been crowdsourcing since 1995. Our back cover invites our readers to suggest changes and additions to each atlas, providing a better, safer, more accurate experience for everybody. Do you have a suggestion? Please feel free to contact us for just that purpose.
